The ECO Deep Extreme has several different capacity options in the range. The coolers start at a ‘car-friendly’ 26 litre capacity up to our favourite in the range shown above – the 45 litre giant which has its own carry handle and wheels to help move it around. We’ll concentrate on that one for this review. One of the main issues is not always how your cool box will be powered, it is the capacity. How much food can you store in a cool box? Our buyers’ guide explains the capacity and how much food and drinks you can place in each size. Also, detailing the four different types of cool boxes available and if they are suitable for everyday family camping. The Berg 45L cool box is ideal for larger group camping trips. It is bulky for transporting, but it is worth the investment if you can fit it into your vehicle.

The size of the EcoCool is 52 x 32 x 43 cm and it weighs around 8kg which is fairly substantial. There is a great swing handle for lifting the box and it does not struggle with a fully laden fridge. As food defrosts, condensation and water will gather in the base, ruining food. So you must remove access water as there is no drainage plug.The material the product is made from is often a sign of the quality for Plug-In. Take a look at the product details over at Go Outdoors to get a feel for this. If you are camping for long periods in high temperatures, having an electrical cool box will help keep food and drinks cold. As well as prolong the length of time food will remain frozen. However, if you often camp without an electrical hook-up, an electrical cool box is not worth buying. We’re really pleased to have scored Hi-Gear 45-Litre 12V 240V Cooler so highly, givimg it 8.3 out of 10, making it well above the average for all Plug-In. I use our Direct Leisure cool box for camping trips that are 2-3 days. It is ideal for us as a family of 2, allowing room for frozen premade food and soft drinks. It is essential that you are aware that this is a budget cool box and not as sturdy as the Vango or Outwell. You do need to be careful of the handle as the side pin it can disconnect connect and snap. Mine has after several years and many camping trips. It was may fault as I was not being particularly careful and I tried to lift not realising that is was caught on something. The 45l ECO Deep offers the convenience of using either AC (240V) or DC (12V) power connection. Current draw is low at only 5 amps, even on 12V power which means a typical 100Ah leisure battery will not get drained until after about 20 hours of continuous operation.

Thermoelectric cool box – these are well insulated coolboxes which use a Peltier cooler (12V or 240V powered usually) and electric fan to drive heat out of the box and keep your food and drink chilled. The best thermoelectric coolboxes can lower the temperature by about 30°C below the ambient temperature which means they can be used all year round in the UK. Downsides are fan noise, but in a tent you’re unlikely to hear it. Electric coolboxes use the 12v power from your car to keep things cool. If you’re heading away for a longer journey, perhaps for anything from a few days to a few weeks, then these devices are perfect for you - and larger capacity electric coolboxes are better suited to longer trips. It has a hot, cold, eco and max setting like other cool boxes and LED light so you can see at a glance what setting you are on. However, you would expect to have thermostatic control for the price, which it does not. It is a power-thirsty coolbox, so I would not recommend connecting to a car charger. Only use it when you have a connection to a mains power supply. However, if you’re only off for a picnic or a few days of camping, then a standard ice box should be perfect. Ultimately, cool boxes can make for an excellent addition to your arsenal of camping equipment, and could well make your shopping list when you’re identifying the camping essentials. Why shop at Halfords?

We were impressed that it can also heat the contents up to ~65°C. Obviously this isn’t hot enough to actually cook food, but it means you can keep your fish and chips warm if you’re busy – watch out for bacteria though – the heating should just be for short blasts after you’ve actually cooked the food. Think of it as maintaining temperature rather than reheating. A 20 litre capacity is not going to set the world on fire if you’re planning a long trip, but it’s ample for a night or two away. Hi-Gear make cheap, dependable equipment and we were impressed with the quality of plastic used on this cooler. It looks more expensive than it is!